Wireless communications system and method of operation for reducing fraud

ABSTRACT

The wireless communications system includes a home carrier and HLR memory means, associated with the home carrier, for storing a number of Home Locator Records defining the level of service to be provided to the individual subscribers of the home carrier. The Home Locator Record is at least initially configured to prohibit call termination of the respective subscriber outside of the predetermined service area of the home carrier. However, the wireless communications system also includes reconfiguring means for at least temporarily reconfiguring the Home Locator Record of a respective subscriber in response to a request for communications service involving the subscriber who has roamed outside of the predetermined service area of the home carrier if the subscriber has prepaid for the requested services. Once reconfigured, the wireless communications system can provide the Home Locator Record of the respective subscriber to a serving carrier via IS-41 (Rev. A) messaging. The reconfigured Home Locator Record serves as the roaming subscriber&#39;s Visitor Locator Record which, in turn, authorizes the requested wireless communications service. Once the requested service has been ended, either upon completion of the call or exhaustion of the prepaid services, the reconfiguring means resets the Home Locator Record of the respective subscriber such that the Home Locator Record again prohibits call termination with the subscriber outside of the service area of the home carrier in order to further protect the wireless communications system from fraud.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The use of wireless communications and, in particular, the use ofcellular telephony as a means of personal communication is perceived bymany as having experienced substantial, if not exponential growth inrecent years. While growth and expansion in the use of cellulartelephony for personal communication has been phenomenal in manyrespects, there still exists significant obstacles for expansion of itsuse to a large segment of the general population.

[0002] As in many emerging industries, the cellular telephony industryhas been plagued and victimized by the relatively small segment of thepublic intent on defrauding the service providers or carriers. Thisrelatively small segment of the public has found a variety of means forcircumventing these existing safeguards. It is estimated that fraud bythese “consumers” costs the cellular industry more than three milliondollars per day.

[0003] As a result of the rampant growth of fraud in the cellularindustry, carriers have been forced to adopt various techniques designedto reduce the opportunities for defrauding the carrier. An obviousmethod is to limit system access solely to those subscribers deemedhighly creditworthy and to maintain listings of those former subscriberswho have, in the past, defrauded the carriers. The primary problem withthis approach is that it excludes the significantly larger segment ofthe general population comprised of otherwise trustworthy individualsdesiring cellular services who fall short of the highly creditworthystandard. As a result, this approach severely restricts the potentialopportunities for growth at a time when further growth is both desired,if not essential, to the expansion of the cellular telephony industry.

[0004] Efforts to reduce the relative exposure of the carrier inmonetary terms to these unscrupulous practices have also been hinderedby the veritable plethora of features and options now available to usersof various forms of wireless communication including cellular telephony.Perhaps the most desired feature for the cellular subscriber is theability to “roam” in areas which are not serviced by the home carrier.These features and options are virtually demanded by the consumer, butthe liability associated with the utilization of these features areborne, at least initially, by the home carrier. The home carrier doesnot, however, retain control over the extent of the use of thesefeatures and options in all potential markets since access to a serviceand feature may be authorized in areas serviced by other carrierswithout the real time knowledge of the home carrier.

[0005] The inability to selectively control access to the variousfeatures available to users of wireless communication stems from thefundamental nature of the wireless communications industry and the basicfact that it relies on a network of different carriers in order toprovide service of any meaningful geographic scope. Before providinglocal connectivity to a visiting cellular subscriber, a “remote” orserving carrier first verifies the creditworthiness of the subscriberor, more aptly, verifies that the home carrier accepts financialresponsibility for any fees incurred by its subscriber. In this regard,each cellular subscriber is identified by a combination of a discreteMobile Identification Number (MIN) and a specific Electronic SerialNumber (ESN) which are passed from the “remote” cellular carrier to thesubscriber's home carrier by existing IS-41 (Rev. A) messaging protocolsin response to a request for service by a subscriber roaming within theservice area of the remote carrier. Based upon the MIN/ESN, the homecarrier electronically verifies whether the cellular subscriber may haveaccess to the requested services.

[0006] In particular, the home carrier maintains a Home Locator Record(HLR) associated with each subscriber which provides data relating tothe particular subscriber, including data identifying those features andoptions available to the subscriber. In conventional cellular systems,the Home Locator Record is typically configured, in advance, by anoperator and cannot be altered by the carrier during the verificationprocess. Thereafter, upon request for wireless communications serviceinvolving a subscriber of the home carrier within the service area of a“remote” serving carrier, the home carrier transmits the subscriber'sHome Locator Record to the serving carrier to create the subscriber'sVisitor Locator Record (VLR) which defines the type and level of serviceto be provided to the roaming subscriber.

[0007] One method for reducing the exposure of a carrier to fraud wouldbe to provide local, prepaid wireless communications services. Inaccordance with this approach, a carrier may integrate existing systemsutilized for billing purposes, for example, to monitor the actual timeused by the cellular subscriber and, when the subscriber is approachingthe prepaid limit, correspondingly restrict and/or terminate service,thereby limiting the carrier's relative exposure. The problem with thisapproach, however, is that the prepaid services must generally belimited to the geographic area served by the home carrier such that thecellular subscriber is not allowed to roam since the extent of usageoutside of the home carrier's service area cannot be monitored orrestricted.

[0008] While a wireless communications system can control callorigination by populating the “HOTLINE” field of the subscriber'sVisitor Locator Record (VLR) with the telephone number of a switchingplatform which, in turn, determines if the subscriber has paid inadvance for the cellular service, the problems associated with calltermination with a prepaid subscriber have not been addressed. In thisregard, the problems associated with call termination with a prepaidsubscriber are exacerbated in comparison to call origination because anincoming call for the subscriber may be placed directly to the roamingaccess port of the “remote” serving carrier.

[0009] There is, therefore, an existing need in the wirelesscommunications industry and, in particular, in the cellular telephonyindustry for a wireless communications system and an associated methodof operation which permits a carrier to limit its exposure to potentialconsumer fraud, while allowing subscribers to have access to the fullrange of features and options, including roaming and, more particularly,call termination with the subscriber while the subscriber is roaming.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0010] The foregoing shortcomings in existing wireless communicationssystems are overcome in accordance with the present invention bytemporarily reconfiguring the information maintained in the subscriber's(otherwise permanent) Home Locator Record on a real-time basis in orderto selectively permit call termination while the subscriber is roamingin foreign markets, i.e., service areas other then the home carrier'sservice area. However, the subscriber's Home Locator Record is onlyreconfigured in response to a request for wireless communicationsservice if the subscriber has paid in advance for the requested service,such as roaming, and wishes to receive a call. During the course of acall, the amount of remaining prepaid services is monitored and theservice is ended once the prepaid amount has been exhausted. Uponcompletion of the requested service, the subscriber's Home LocatorRecord is reset to again prohibit call termination, thereby furtherprotecting the home carrier from fraud. For example, the home carrier isprotected from subsequent attempts to contact a roaming subscriber viathe roaming access port of the serving carrier since call termination isnot-allowed absent reconfiguring of the subscriber's Home LocatorRecord.

[0011] The wireless communications system of the present inventionincludes a home carrier and HLR memory means, associated with the homecarrier, for storing a Home Locator Record database. The Home LocatorRecord database includes a number of Home Locator Records defining theservice to be provided the subscribers of the home carrier. The HomeLocator Record is at least initially configured to allow only hotlinecall origination and to prohibit call termination with the respectivesubscriber.

[0012] The wireless communications system also includes reconfiguringmeans for temporarily reconfiguring the Home Locator Record of arespective subscriber in response to a request for communicationsservice involving the subscriber receiving an incoming call. Forexample, the request can be a request for call termination with asubscriber who has roamed outside of the service area of the homecarrier. In response to this request, the reconfiguring meansreconfigures the Home Locator Record of the respective subscriber topermit call termination if the subscriber has paid in advance for therequested service.

[0013] In response to requests for wireless communications serviceinvolving a subscriber of the home carrier who has roamed outside of theservice area of the home carrier, the wireless communications system andmethod initially determines if the subscriber has paid in advance forthe requested service. In this regard, the wireless communicationssystems can include account memory means for storing account informationfor the subscribers of the home carrier. This account information caninclude information relating to the particular services, such as longdistance and roaming, which have been paid in advance by respective onesof the subscribers. Upon determining that the subscriber has adequatefunds in its account for the requested service and a call is waiting tobe delivered to the subscriber, the reconfiguring means at leasttemporarily reconfigures the Home Locator Record of the respectivesubscriber to permit call termination. The wireless communicationssystem and method then provides the reconfigured Home Locator Record ofthe respective subscriber to a serving carrier (typically via IS-41(Rev. A) messaging) which, in turn, provides the requested wirelesscommunications service.

[0014] During the provision of the requested service by the servingcarrier, the wireless communications system and method monitors theaccount memory means and ends the requested service once the accountinformation for the respective subscriber indicates that the serviceswhich had been paid in advance by the subscriber have been exhausted.Once the requested service has been ended, either upon completion of thecall or exhaustion of the prepaid services, the reconfiguring meansresets the Home Locator Record of the respective subscriber such thatthe Home Locator Record again prohibits call termination with thesubscriber. As a result, the wireless communications system is furtherprotected from fraud since calls to the roaming subscriber via theroaming access port of the serving carrier will not be connected sincethe Home Locator Record of the respective subscriber has been reset toagain prohibit call termination with the subscriber.

[0015] In this manner, a particular subscriber may have access on adiscrete transaction-by-transaction basis to features of the wirelesscommunications system which are considered generally desirable, such ascall termination with a roaming subscriber. Meanwhile, the home carriermay substantially limit its relative exposure to the illicit practicesof the relatively small segment of the potential consuming market forwireless communications services. Accordingly, carriers can increase theuniverse of potential subscribers to include consumers who are slightlyless creditworthy since the relative exposure of the carrier is limitedaccording to the present invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0016] The foregoing and other advantages and features of the invention,and the manner in which the same are accomplished, will become morereadily apparent upon consideration of the following detaileddescription of the invention taken in conjunction with the accompanyingdrawings, which illustrate preferred and exemplary embodiments, andwherein:

[0017]FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram illustrating the basiccomponents of a wireless communications system according to the presentinvention, including a home carrier having HLR memory means and accountmemory means associated therewith;

[0018]FIG. 2 is a schematic block diagram of a wireless communicationsswitching platform according to one embodiment of the present invention;

[0019]FIG. 3 is a schematic block diagram illustrating the variouscommunications links within a wireless communications system accordingto another embodiment of the present invention; and

[0020]FIG. 4 is a flow chart illustrating the operations performed by awireless communications system and method according to one embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0021] The present invention will now be described more fullyhereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which apreferred embodiment of the invention is shown. This invention may,however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construedas limited to the embodiments set forth herein; rather, this embodimentis provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete andwill fully convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in theart. Like numbers refer to like elements throughout.

[0022] Referring now to FIG. 1, a wireless communications system 10according to one embodiment of the present invention is illustrated.While this communications system will be primarily described hereinbelowin conjunction with a cellular telephony system, the wirelesscommunications system can include any cellular or digital communicationssystem, such as an AMPS cellular system, a digital cellular system or aPersonal Communications System, without departing from the spirit andscope of the present invention.

[0023] The wireless communications system 10 typically includes aplurality of carriers 12 for providing wireless communications servicewithin respective predetermined service areas. The carriers aregenerally connected with a communications network 14, such as anassociated public switched telephone network which, in turn, isassociated and in communication with one or more terminals, such as theland line telephone terminal 16 illustrated in FIG. 1. For a cellulartelephony system, for example, a duplex communications link may beeffected between two cellular terminals, or between a cellular terminaland a land line telephone terminal.

[0024] Each carrier 12 provides wireless communications service to anumber of subscribers within the predetermined service area of thecarrier. A particular subscriber will therefore have a home carrier 12 awith which the subscriber has contracted for wireless communicationsservice, and a number of “remote” carriers having different serviceareas which may function as serving carriers 12 b in instances in whichthe subscriber is roaming outside of the service area of the homecarrier, but with the service area of a respective serving carrier. Fora cellular communications system, the service area of a cellular carrieris divided into a number of cells 18 designated Cell 1, Cell 2, . . . ,Cell n in FIG. 1. In addition to the radio base stations and theassociated antennas within each respective cell, a carrier includes amobile telephone switching office (MTSO) 20 which serves as the centralcoordinating element for all cells and which typically includes aprocessor 22, such as a computer-based account processor, and atelephony switch 24. The MTSO also generally interfaces with thetelephone company zone offices, controls call processing and handlesbilling activities.

[0025] According to the present invention, the home carrier 12 a isassociated with both HLR memory means 26 and account memory means 28.The HLR memory means and/or the account memory means may form a portionof the home carrier's MTSO 20. Alternatively, the HLR memory meansand/or the account memory means may be external to, but in communicationwith the home carrier's MTSO as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.

[0026] The HLR memory means 26 typically includes a memory device forstoring a Home Locator Record database. The Home Locator Record databaseincludes a number of Home Locator Records defining the wirelesscommunications service to be provided to respective subscribers of thehome carrier 12 a. For example, the Home Locator Record of a respectivesubscriber defines the features and options which the subscriber hasselected. One feature of the many features defined by a subscriber'sHome Locator Record is call termination which indicates whether thesubscriber is allowed to receive calls, including calls received whilethe subscriber roams outside of the predetermined service area of thehome carrier.

[0027] The account memory means 28 also typically includes a memorydevice for storing account information for each of the subscribers ofthe home carrier 12 a. According to the present invention, thesubscribers can pay in advance for selected wireless communicationsservices. For example, subscribers can pay in advance for a fullfeatured wireless communications system 10 that controls all facets ofwireless communications regardless of the subscriber's location, i.e.,at home or while roaming, in a manner which removing the liability ofthe home carrier.

[0028] As shown in FIG. 2, the MTSO 20 of the home carrier 12 a has beenspecifically developed as a switching platform for providing wirelesscommunications service to a number of subscribers, while protecting thehome carrier from fraud. As shown in FIG. 2, the switching platform ofthe present invention includes reconfiguring means 30 for at leasttemporarily reconfiguring the Home Locator Record of a respectivesubscriber in response to a request for wireless communications serviceinvolving the subscriber outside the predetermined service area of thehome carrier. For example, this request may be an incoming callrequesting call termination with the respective subscriber outside ofthe predetermined service area of the home carrier.

[0029] As explained below, the reconfiguring means 30 is responsive tothe account memory means 28 so as to only reconfigure the Home LocatorRecord of the respective subscriber if the stored account informationindicates that the subscriber has paid an advance for the requestedwireless communications service. If the subscriber has paid an advancefor the requested wireless communications service, the reconfiguringmeans will temporarily reconfigure the Home Locator Record of therespective subscriber to permit the requested feature, i.e., calltermination, while the subscriber roams outside of the service area ofthe home carrier 12 a. While the reconfiguring means will hereinafter bedescribed in conjunction with the reconfiguring of a Home Locator Recordto permit call termination, including call termination outside of thepredetermined service area of the home carrier, the reconfiguring meansmay reconfigure the Home Locator Record to selectively permit thesubscriber to temporarily utilize other features while the subscriberroams outside of the predetermined service area of the home carrier.

[0030] Upon completion of the requested wireless communications service,the reconfiguring means 30 resets the Home Locator Record of therespective subscriber to again prohibit the requested feature, such asto prohibit call termination with the subscriber outside thepredetermined service area of the home carrier 12 a. As described below,the switching platform 20 of the present invention therefore reduces, ifnot prevents, fraud by only permitting call termination while roamingoutside of the predetermined service area of the home carrier inspecific instances in which the subscriber has paid in advance.

[0031] As also shown in FIG. 2, the switching platform 20 can includemonitor means 32 for monitoring the account memory means 28 while theswitching platform provides the requested wireless communicationsservice. In instances in which a subscriber's Home Locator Record hasbeen temporarily reconfigured to permit call termination, the monitormeans can continue to monitor the account information relating to thewireless communications services which have been paid in advance by therespective subscriber while the subscriber roams outside of thepredetermined service area of the home carrier 12 a. In this regard,once the subscriber begins to use the prepaid wireless communicationsservices, the account information for the respective subscriber ismodified, preferably in real time by the processor 22, in order toaccurately reflect the remaining prepaid services available for therespective subscriber.

[0032] The switching platform 20 also preferably includes call durationcontrol 34 for ending the requested wireless communications service.Once the account information indicates that all of the wirelesscommunications services which had been paid in advance by the respectivesubscriber have been exhausted, the monitor means 22 notifies the callduration control means. The call duration control means then ends thewireless communications service, such as by disconnecting thesubscriber's telephone call.

[0033] As described above, the switching platform 20 also includes aswitch 24, such as a telephony switch, and a processor 22, such as acomputer-based account processor. As shown in FIG. 2, the processor caninclude the reconfiguring means 30, the monitor means 32 and the callduration control means 34. However, the reconfiguring means, the monitormeans and/or the call duration control means of one advantageousembodiment are embodied by a combination of hardware, such as theprocessor, and software, such as a computer program product. Thecomputer program product of this advantageous embodiment includes acomputer-readable storage medium having computer-readable program codemeans, such as a series of computer instructions, embodied in thecomputer-readable storage medium for selectively reconfiguring the HomeLocator Records of respective ones of the subscribers, for monitoringthe account memory means and/or for selectively ending the wirelesscommunications service of respective ones of the subscribers.

[0034] In this regard, FIGS. 1-4 are block diagram, flow chart andcontrol flow illustrations of methods, systems and program productsaccording to the invention. It will be understood that each block orstep of the block diagram, flow chart and control flow illustrations,and combinations of blocks in the block diagram, flow chart and controlflow illustrations, can be implemented by computer program instructions.These computer program instructions may be loaded onto a computer orother programmable apparatus to produce a machine, such that theinstructions which execute on the computer or other programmableapparatus create means for implementing the functions specified in theblock diagram, flow chart or control flow block(s) or step(s). Thesecomputer program instructions may also be stored in a computer-readablememory that can direct a computer or other programmable apparatus tofunction in a particular manner, such that the instructions stored inthe computer-readable memory produce an article of manufacture includinginstruction means which implement the function specified in the blockdiagram, flow chart or control flow block(s) or step(s). The computerprogram instructions may also be loaded onto a computer or otherprogrammable apparatus to cause a series of operational steps to beperformed on the computer or other programmable apparatus to produce acomputer implemented process such that the instructions which execute onthe computer or other programmable apparatus provide steps forimplementing the functions specified in the block diagram, flow chart orcontrol flow block(s) or step(s).

[0035] Accordingly, blocks or steps of the block diagram, flow chart orcontrol flow illustrations support combinations of means for performingthe specified functions, combinations of steps for performing thespecified functions and program instruction means for performing thespecified functions. It will also be understood that each block or stepof the block diagram, flow chart or control flow illustrations, andcombinations of blocks or steps in the block diagram, flow chart orcontrol flow illustrations, can be implemented by special purposehardware-based computer systems which perform the specified functions orsteps, or combinations of special purpose hardware and computerinstructions.

[0036] The operations of the wireless communications system 10 of thepresent invention will now be described primarily in conjunction withthe flow chart of FIG. 4. As shown in block 50, the wirelesscommunications system initially receives a request for wirelesscommunications service involving the subscriber outside of thepredetermined service area of the home carrier 12 a of the subscriber.For example, the switching platform 20 of the present invention and,more particularly, the switch 24 may receive a call for a subscriber whois presently in a region serviced by another carrier, i.e., the servingcarrier 12 b. In one embodiment, each subscriber of the wirelesscommunications system of the present invention is assigned a uniquetelephone number, such as a unique toll-free number or a commontoll-free number with a unique personal identification number (PIN).Upon receiving a call to the telephone number assigned to a respectivesubscriber, the switching platform initially identifies the mobileidentification number (MIN) and Electronic Serial Number (ESN) of thesubscriber based upon the subscriber's unique toll-free number or thesubscriber's unique PIN.

[0037] Thereafter, the switching platform 20 and, more particularly, themonitor means 32 determines if the subscriber has paid in advance forthe requested wireless communications service, such as for roaming or,more particularly, for call termination while the subscriber is roaming.See block 52. If the account information for the respective subscriberindicates that the subscriber has not paid for any services in advancewhich have not been previously used or exhausted, the switching platformprovides a message to the caller, such as “the cellular phone that youhave dialed is temporarily out of service”, prior to disconnecting. Seeblock 54. If the subscriber has paid in advance for the requestedwireless communications service, however, the switching platformdetermines if the subscriber is currently on another call. See block 56.If so, the switching platform preferably transfers the incoming call tovoice-mail such that the caller can leave a message for the subscriberas shown in block 58.

[0038] If the subscriber has paid in advance for the requested wirelesscommunications service and the subscriber is not on another call, theswitching platform 20 and, more particularly, the reconfiguring means 30temporarily reconfigures the Home Locator Record of the respectivesubscriber to permit call termination such that the request for calltermination with the subscriber who is presently outside of the servicearea of the home carrier 12 a can be accommodated, i.e., the call can becompleted. See block 60. Once the Home Locator Record of the respectivesubscriber has been reconfigured, the serving carrier 12 b is petitionedfor a temporary local dial number (TLDN). See block 62. In theembodiment illustrated in FIG. 1, the switching platform of the presentinvention may petition the serving carrier, such as via switch-to-switchcommunications (SS-7), for a TLDN. In the embodiment illustrated in FIG.3, however, the HLR memory means 26 is one component of an HLR node 36which is adapted to communicate with both the switching platform, i.e.,the home MTSO, and the serving carrier, i.e., the serving MTSO. In thisembodiment, the home carrier can issue an intracarrier petition to theserving carrier, via the HLR node, for a TLDN once the Home LocatorRecord of the respective subscriber has been reconfigured.

[0039] In either embodiment and in response to the home carrier'srequest for a TLDN, the serving carrier 12 b requests a Visitor LocatorRecord from the home carrier 12 a. As described above, a subscriber'sVisitor Locator Record is based upon the current Home Locator Record ofthe respective subscriber. Accordingly, the wireless communicationssystem 10 of the present invention reconfigures the Home Locator Recordof the respective subscriber before sending the subscriber's currentVisitor Locator Record to the serving carrier, either via the switchingplatform 20 or via the HLR node 36, to thereby create or update thesubscriber's Visitor Locator Record which is maintained by the servingcarrier. See block 64. Since the reconfigured Home Locator Record nowpermits call termination with the respective subscriber, the servingcarrier then provides the switching platform with a TLDN. See block 66.For example, the serving carrier can provide the switching platform witha TLDN for the respective subscriber via switch-to-switch communicationsas shown in FIG. 1 or via intracarrier signals, such as the HLR node, asshown in FIG. 3. Upon receipt of the TLDN, the switching platform and,more particularly, the switch 24 dials with TLDN to deliver the incomingcall. See block 68.

[0040] Following call delivery and during the period of time in whichthe subscriber's phone remains off-hook, the account information withinthe account memory means 28 which relates to the respective subscriberis modified to effectively decrease the amount of remaining wirelesscommunications services which have been prepaid by the subscriber andwhich remain to be provided to the subscriber. See block 70. Forexample, the processor 22 may repeatedly decrement the prepaid timeremaining for the respective subscriber as the subscriber's phoneremains off-hook.

[0041] As shown in block 78, the switching platform 20 also repeatedlydetermines if the subscriber has completed the telephone call, such-asby placing the phone on-hook or by otherwise signing off. If theswitching platform determines that the telephone call has not beencompleted, the switching platform 20 and, more particularly, the monitormeans 32 continues to monitor the account information for the respectivesubscriber to determine if the subscriber has prepaid for and isentitled to additional wireless communications service. See block 72. Ifthe account information for the respective subscriber indicates that thesubscriber has exhausted all of their prepaid services, the monitormeans notifies the call duration control means 34 which, in turn, endsthe service, i.e., disconnects the telephone call. See block 80. If theaccount information for the respective subscriber indicates that thesubscriber is entitled to additional service, however, the monitor meansthen determines if the wireless communications services which have beenprepaid by the subscriber and which remain to be provided are small,such as less than ten minutes. See block 74. If so, the switchingplatform can announce the time remaining to the subscriber such that thesubscriber can plan to complete the telephone call within the remainingtime. See block 76. Otherwise, this monitoring process can continue asshown in FIG. 4.

[0042] If the call has ended, either by action of the respectivesubscriber or by the call duration control means 34 upon exhaustion ofthe prepaid services, the switching platform 20 and, more particularly,the reconfiguring means 30 will reset the Home Locator Record of thesubscriber so as to prohibit call termination, prior to releasing thetelephone call. See blocks 82 and 84. By resetting the Home LocatorRecord of the subscriber to prohibit call termination, the wirelesscommunications system 10 of the present invention reduces, if notprevents fraud by not allowing unauthorized access to any subscriber. Inparticular, subsequent telephone calls to the roaming access port of theserving carrier 12 b which request call termination with a roamingsubscriber of the home carrier 12 a will not be completed since the HomeLocator Record of the respective subscriber which is provided to theserving carrier would again indicate that the subscriber is prohibitedfrom receiving calls. Accordingly, the wireless communications systemand method of the present invention permit call termination with aroaming subscriber on a limited, prepaid basis, while reducing, if notpreventing, fraud upon the home/serving carrier. As a result, carrierscan increase the universe of potential subscribers to include consumerswho are slightly less creditworthy since the relative exposure of thecarrier is limited according to the present invention.

[0043] In the drawings and the specification, there has been set forth apreferred embodiment of the invention and, although specific terms areemployed, the terms are used in a generic and descriptive sense only andnot for purpose of limitation, the scope of the invention being setforth in the following claims.

That which is claimed is:
 1. A wireless communications systemcomprising: a home carrier for providing wireless communications serviceto a subscriber within a predetermined service area; HLR memory means,associated with said home carrier, for storing a home locator recorddatabase comprising a plurality of home locator records at leastpartially defining the wireless communications service to be provided torespective ones of the subscribers of said home carrier, wherein thehome locator record is at least initially configured to prohibit calltermination with the respective subscriber; and reconfiguring means forat least temporarily reconfiguring the home locator record of arespective subscriber in response to a request for wirelesscommunications service involving the subscriber to permit calltermination with the subscriber if the subscriber has paid in advancefor the requested wireless communications service.
 2. A wirelesscommunications system according to claim 1 wherein the request forwireless communications service is a request for call termination withthe respective subscriber outside of the predetermined service area ofsaid home carrier, and wherein said reconfiguring means at leasttemporarily reconfigures the home locator record of the subscriber so asto permit call termination with the subscriber if the subscriber haspaid in advance for wireless communications service with said homecarrier.
 3. A wireless communications system according to claim 1further comprising a serving carrier for providing wirelesscommunications service within a predetermined service area which is atleast partially different than the predetermined service area of saidhome carrier, wherein said serving carrier cooperates with said homecarrier for providing the requested wireless communications service ifsaid reconfiguring means has reconfigured the home locator record of therespective subscriber to permit call termination.
 4. A wirelesscommunications system according to claim 1 wherein said reconfiguringmeans resets the home locator record of the respective subscriber uponcompletion of the requested wireless communications service such thatthe home locator record again prohibits call termination with thesubscriber.
 5. A wireless communications system according to claim 1further comprising account memory means, associated with said homecarrier, for storing account information for the plurality ofsubscribers of said home carrier including account information relatingto the wireless communications services which have been paid in advanceby respective ones of the subscribers.
 6. A wireless communicationssystem according to claim 5 further comprising monitor means formonitoring said account memory means while said home carrier providesthe requested wireless communications service.
 7. A wirelesscommunications system according to claim 6 further comprising callduration control means for ending the requested wireless communicationsservice once the account information for the respective subscriberindicates that the wireless communications services which had been paidin advance by the subscriber have been exhausted.
 8. A wirelesscommunications switching platform for selectively providing wirelesscommunications service to a plurality of subscribers, wherein thewireless communications service to be provided to a respectivesubscriber is at least partially defined by a home locator record whichis at least initially configured to prohibit call termination with thesubscriber outside of a predetermined service area, and wherein thewireless communications switching platform comprises: account memorymeans for storing account information for the plurality of subscribers;and reconfiguring means, responsive to said account memory means, for atleast temporarily reconfiguring the home locator record of a respectivesubscriber in response to a request for wireless communications serviceinvolving the subscriber outside of the predetermined service area topermit call termination with the subscriber if the stored accountinformation indicates that the subscriber has paid in advance for therequested wireless communications service.
 9. A wireless communicationsswitching platform according to claim 8 further comprising a switch forproviding the requested wireless communications service if the homelocator record permits call termination with the respective subscriber.10. A wireless communications switching platform according to claim 8wherein said reconfiguring means resets the home locator record of therespective subscriber upon completion of the requested wirelesscommunications service such that the home locator record again prohibitscall termination with the subscriber outside of the predeterminedservice area.
 11. A wireless communications switching platform accordingto claim 8 wherein said account memory means includes accountinformation relating to the wireless communications services which havebeen paid in advance by respective ones of the subscribers.
 12. Awireless communications switching platform according to claim 11 furthercomprising monitor means for monitoring said account memory means whilethe wireless communications switching platform provides the requestedwireless communications service.
 13. A wireless communications switchingplatform according to claim 12 further comprising call duration controlmeans for terminating the requested wireless communications service oncethe account information for the respective subscriber indicates that thewireless communications services which had been paid in advance by thesubscriber have been exhausted.
 14. A method of selectively providingwireless communications service to a plurality of subscribers, whereinthe wireless communications service to be provided to a respectivesubscriber is at least partially defined by a home locator record whichis at least initially configured to prohibit call termination with thesubscriber, and wherein the method comprises the steps of: receiving arequest for wireless communications service including call terminationwith the subscriber outside of a first predetermined service area;determining if the subscriber has paid in advance for the requestedwireless communications service; at least temporarily reconfiguring thehome locator record of the subscriber to permit call termination withthe subscriber if the subscriber has paid in advance for the requestedwireless communications service; and providing the requested wirelesscommunications service if the home locator record is reconfigured topermit call termination with the subscriber.
 15. A method according toclaim 14 wherein said providing step comprises providing thereconfigured home locator record of the subscriber to a serving carrierwhich provides the requested wireless communications service, whereinthe serving carrier provides wireless communications service within asecond predetermined service area which is at least partially differentthan the first predetermined service area.
 16. A method according toclaim 14 further comprising the step of resetting the home locatorrecord of the respective subscriber upon completion of the requestedwireless communications service such that the home locator record againprohibits call termination with the subscriber outside of thepredetermined service area.
 17. A method according to claim 14 furthercomprising repeatedly determining, during said providing step, if thesubscriber has paid in advance for a continuation of the providedwireless communications service.
 18. A method according to claim 17further comprising terminating the requested wireless communicationsservice upon determining that the wireless communications services whichhad been paid in advance by the subscriber have been exhausted.